Houston, Sep 22 (IANS): Arriving in Houston for the 'Howdy, Modi!' rally, US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he had "tremendous respect for (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi."
After his Air Force One landed at the Ellington Air Force Base, Trump told reporters: "I'm very close to the folks from India, I love India, and I have a lot of respect and a great friendship with the PM of India."
"The Prime Minister of India has asked me to make a speech and I will make a speech in a stadium loaded up with something like 70,000 people or whatever the maximum is. So we're going to have a lot, the Prime Minister and I."
He called the rally a "big deal" for India.
Trump said that Modi "is a highly respected man. He recently won the elections by a record margin. He is very popular. I have a lot of respect to the great friendship with Prime Minister. PM Modi has done great job. And he's been very good to us".